Have you heard about The Community Solar Program? It’s a proposed pilot program just in the first stages of development.  There are community information sessions happening NOW, to gain interest, and to develop a detailed financial model.  The HRM Charter must be amended to allow participants to be billed as part of their annual tax bill.

•$5 million pilot project to encourage individual homeowners to install solar panels for heating domestic hot water.

•Typically 2 solar hot water panels

•Financed through property tax bills

•User pay

•Cash flow neutral or positive

•Payback 5-10 years depending upon available rebates and interest rates

•Pilot 500 – 700 homes (1000 panels)

•Economies of scale purchase & install

Meeting Dates:

November 25th, 2010 - Cole Harbour - in the Westphal Room (2nd floor) at Cole Harbour Place from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

November 29th, 2010 - Sackville - in the Sackville Heights Community Centre from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

December 1st, 2010 - Peninsula Halifax - at the Saint Mary's Boat Club from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

December 8th, 2010 - Dartmouth - in the Helen Creighton Room at the Alderney Library from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

December 13th, 2010 - Spryfield at the Captain William Spry Centre from 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Industry Consultation - Special session for companies involved in the solar industry. December 9th, 2010 in the Helen Creighton Room at the Alderney Library from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

Check out the following links pertaining to Solar Panel heating

http://www.conservens.ca/in-the-home/heat-hot-water/default.asp

http://halifax.ca/solarcity/documents/SolarWaterBookBuyersGuide.pdf